California Congressman Brad Sherman took the first official step ito impeach Trump, though it likely won’t get very far in a Republican-controlled House.
On Wednesday, Sherman announced via Twitter that he had submitted language for articles of impeachment.
I have introduced H.Res. 438 Articles of #Impeachment of Donald J. Trump for Obstruction of Justice. Statement here: https://t.co/0gKr8ZFg3c pic.twitter.com/yUTDAnPFuJ
— Rep. Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) July 12, 2017
Sherman’s article lists a number of reasons for why Trump’s actions “warrants impeachment and trial and removal from office.”
Chief among them: The firing of former FBI Director James Comey, which Sherman said amounted to obstruction of justice during the multiple investigations into potential Trump campaign collusion with Russia. He acited allegations that Trump pressured Comey to drop his investigation into ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
“In all of this, Donald John Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as president and subversive of constitutional government,” the article reads.
Sherman based his article of impeachment on those passed in 1974, levying obstruction of justice charges against then-President Richard Nixon, Sherman said in a statement.
The White House condemned the move.
“I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, deputy White House press secretary, told reporters during a briefing, USA Today reported.
It’s unclear what kind of support the impeachment effort will have among other House Democrats. So far, Sherman’s move to impeach has just a single supporter — Rep. Al Green of Texas, who has long been calling to impeach trump.
Sherman acknowledged it would be “a very long road” to impeaching Trump in a Republican-controlled House.
“But if the impulsive incompetency continues, then eventually — many, many months from now — Republicans will join the impeachment effort,” Sherman said in a statement.
Impeach Trump effort comes one day after Donald Trump Jr email scandal
Sherman’s call for Trump’s impeachment comes one day after the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, released emails detailing his attempts to meet with a Russian lawyer last June who had “incriminating” information on then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
It is illegal under federal campaign finance law to solicit or accept contributions from foreign nationals — including information “of value.”
“Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump’s campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe,” Sherman stated.
